200tdi odd blue smoke issue

harry2012 · Mar 3, 2015

Really? Would injectors really cause blue smoke only on cold startup?

Ian46 · Mar 3, 2015

While your engine is not running, a faulty injector can dribble diesel in to the bore and when the engine is started it has more fuel to burn than normal and it will give out more smoke.

harry2012 · Mar 3, 2015

I thought unburnt Diesel is black or white not blue? Also this smells like an old petrol when they are burning oil.

Not trying to be obtuse but don't wanna waste anymore money!

If I remove the injectors will a leaky one be obvious?

Ian46 · Mar 3, 2015

Might be wet around the tip

harry2012 · Mar 3, 2015

Is it ok to remove/refit them using the old injector seals?

I still don't understand how a leaky injector could cause blue smoke though?

johnlad · Mar 3, 2015

have you checked timing, and tappet clearance, I advanced my timing and fitted new glow plugs, not the cheapo 4 for £10 from ebay, it reduced smoke on start up

Turboman · Mar 3, 2015

harry2012 said:
Is it ok to remove/refit them using the old injector seals?

I still don't understand how a leaky injector could cause blue smoke though?

Use all new seals, every time.

Because poor fuel atomisation will result in a lot of unburnt fuel when the engine is cold, but more fuel will atomise when it goes into a very hot cylinder.

harry2012 · Mar 3, 2015

But I thought blue smoke was Oil not Diesel? Sorry just trying to understand how Diesel causes blue not black smoke.

tottot · Mar 3, 2015

Diesel is an oil,a fuel oil. An incomplete combustion as when cold will result in blue smoke.
Black smoke comes with a good combustion but to much fuel resulting in an excess of visible particles in the exhaust.
Have you tried injector cleaner? Can often help although your's is not that bad.

Turboman · Mar 3, 2015

harry2012 said:
But I thought blue smoke was Oil not Diesel?

Judging smoke colour and smell takes experience!

Diesel is an oil too, just a much thinner one than engine oil. And sometimes there may be both in the exhaust gases. And always mixed with water vapour, especially when the exhaust is cold.

Might be an idea to get someone who knows what they are looking at to have a look at it, do you have a mate that is a diesel fitter or mechanic?

Or you could pull the injectors and have them tested, never does any harm, they can do a lot of damage if they get really worn.

harry2012 · Mar 3, 2015

Tappets are set correctly, not checked pump timing.

I worked as a mechanic for 5 years (not done it for years mind!) but only on Petrols, and mainly classic Aircooled ones at that. The smoke smells just like burnt oil in an Aircooled engine that's overheated, tinged with Diesel. That's the best way I can describe it, lol.

I understand diesel is a fuel oil but surely a lot would need to be leaking to cause blue rather than black or white smoke on startup?

Turboman · Mar 3, 2015

harry2012 said:
Tappets are set correctly, not checked pump timing.

I worked as a mechanic for 5 years (not done it for years mind!) but only on Petrols, and mainly classic Aircooled ones at that. The smoke smells just like burnt oil in an Aircooled engine that's overheated, tinged with Diesel. That's the best way I can describe it, lol.

I understand diesel is a fuel oil but surely a lot would need to be leaking to cause blue rather than black or white smoke on startup?

Not much, read my earlier post re cold engines!

I do wonder if you are reading too much into it, if your vehicle runs well, and passes MOT emissions test, there is not too much wrong.

Old diesels tend to smoke a bit on start up, my tractor certainly does, fills the shed on a cold morning, but it is still well up to a long days silaging!

tottot · Mar 3, 2015

Don,t think we can satisfy this one Turboman, My tractor,landy and car all smoke more than harry2012's landy but run just fine.

harry2012 · Mar 3, 2015

But it never used to do it, that's my issue, and it's embarrassing smoking out my neighbours every time I start it.

tottot · Mar 3, 2015

How long have you had landy?

harry2012 · Mar 3, 2015

14 months, had 73k on it when I bought it, now its just ticked over 79k. Done loads to it and spent a fortune on it. It does spend long periods not moving though (weeks at a time).

It did sound lumpy when I got it but new pushrods (couldn't see any bent ones but changed anyway as a precaution) and tappets set right cured that.

Fully serviced it back in November and it's done maybe 600 miles since then.

tottot · Mar 3, 2015

Was asking because diesels smoke more on start up when temp is low. And every time you start a 200tdi the automatic excess fuel system kicks in resulting in blue smoke when cold and a puff of black when hot. [gets one dirty looks in the car park] but that's the way it is with a 200.

harry2012 · Mar 3, 2015

I've always had the heavy puff of black smoke on startup, hot or cold, but the heavy blue smoke is a recent-ish thing, and it's getting worse and heavier.

tottot · Mar 3, 2015

Does not look bad in video but did you check all glow plugs working properly.just to be sure when I said temp in previous post I meant outside air temperature that affects the amount of smoke produced on start up.

harry2012 · Mar 3, 2015

No I haven't checked to see if they actually work. But the blue smoke only happens after its been left for an extended period.

Oddly when I got it the Glow Plug relay was unplugged, no idea why.

200tdi odd blue smoke issue

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